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NBAE / Getty Images
Tyson Chandler was acquired by the Bobcats
on Tuesday. |
By Matt Rochinski and Brian Verdi
bobcats.com
July 28, 2009
Chandler Press Release | Trade Gallery | Steve Martin Blog
Chandler Player Profile | Chandler Ticket Offer
The Bobcats acquired center Tyson Chandler from the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday in exchange for forward/center Emeka Okafor. Following the trade, Chandler, Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins and Bobcats Head Coach Larry Brown spoke to the media. The following is the transcript of those conversations:
(Opening statements)
I just want to say that I am very, very excited and thrilled about this new opportunity. I am very excited to be able to play for the Charlotte Bobcats and play under Larry Brown.
(On his health)
I am feeling a lot better than I was when I was on the court last year. I had toe and ankle surgery at the end of the year. My ankle was pretty bad during the season, so I probably should have stayed off of it and had surgery at that point. At the end of the season, I was having ankle surgery so I felt that since I was doing that, I might as well have cleaned up everything, so I cleaned up the toe as well. For the first time in the last couple of years, I have had really good movement in my toe and now I am just trying to gain confidence on my ankle again.
(On playing for Larry Brown)
I’ve always admired him on the sidelines when I’ve gone against him and I’ve always admired how his teams and coaching staff are put together. And obviously, I do have ESPN Classic, so I’ve watched him coach. He’s always been a coach that I’ve admired in the league. There are some coaches out there that I really feel highly about, and he’s been one of them. I had a chance to talk to him this morning and we had a really good conversation. I think that he understands and knows how passionate I am about the game and winning and I know he is the same way.
(On how he will fit in with the Bobcats)
I see myself fitting in well. The style of players that they’ve had over the last couple years has started to change, especially when Coach Brown came in. With the trades that they made last year, I feel like they are starting to play a little bit more up-tempo. I’ve always thought that they play hard and that they are just a little piece away from winning.
(On playing with current members of the Bobcats)
It is definitely going to be exciting. I watched Boris (Diaw) when he was in Phoenix and I watched him a lot last year. I know how well he passes the ball and how unselfish he is. I’ve also watched the two young point guards (Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin) develop over the last couple of years and I think they present a problem for teams in the backcourt. I’m very excited about getting with them, learning the offense, and getting up and down the floor with them.
(On his conversation with Larry Brown)
We just talked about the day-to-day things, the practicing, and the way to approach the game every day. I played against his team, so I know what he demands. One thing I pride myself on is bringing intensity and focus night in and night out.
(On the competition around the league)
Teams have definitely gotten better, but I think making the playoffs is a goal that can definitely be achieved. It is about establishing a winning mentality with consistency and intensity and that is one of the things that I want to bring to the table. We have some players on the roster that haven’t won, so now it is time to bring that to the table. I definitely look forward to the challenge. Whenever you get a chance to play against the premier big men in the league, you have to look forward to it. I definitely think the East has some good big guys, so I look forward to coming in and making an impact.
(On his ankle surgery)
It happened right after the season in May. I think I had my surgery May 7. I went in originally to have my ankle looked at, but the doctor and I decided to go ahead with the surgery so I could be ready for the following year. I’ve been rehabbing and strengthening it all summer. I had the opportunity to start early, which was good for me. Now, I am just starting to be able to kick it in gear. In the month of August, I’ll be able to start with post moves, basketball activities, and light conditioning.
(On what he wants to improve on)
One thing I really wanted to work on this summer was my touch around the basket, and getting a nice hook shoot with both hands. I really want to work on that because I feel it would work great for me with my athletic ability and the way I can get to certain places on the court. I also want to work on my free throws and I’ve been working on my strength all summer. I definitely feel like I have weaknesses that I won’t explore, but I can bring a lot to the team.
(On his strengths)
I would say that I still have a lot of raw, untapped talent. This year, I really want to buckle down day in and day out and really get my footwork down. Last year, I wasn’t able to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do on the court because of my injury. I played through my ankle injury almost the entire year. Now, I’m excited about being healthy and being able to really work on some things.
(On being on the trading block in recent months)
I know there are a lot of teams in this league that think highly of my talent and I look at it that way. There are a lot of teams out there that wanted me and have been trying to trade for me. I also understand the business side of it, so I didn’t necessarily think anything about being on the trading block.
(On the injury and salary cap implications)
I just want to reiterate that Emeka (Okafor) was a contributor from the start of the Bobcats’ inception to the NBA. We wish him well. In terms of Tyson (Chandler) and his toe and ankle - he had surgery in early May, so we anticipate that he will fully recover contingent upon this deal being complete. Obviously, both players have to come into their perspective teams and pass their physicals. In terms of the salary cap implications - I think they are pretty well documented. Tyson has two more years starting today on his contract – ‘09-‘10 season and ‘10-‘11 season. In ‘10-‘11, he has an ETO (Early Termination Option). Emeka has five years left as of today on his current contract. You can pretty much see where the possibilities lay going forward.
(On if this trade limits any other trade possibilities)
Larry (Brown), (Managing Member of Basketball Operations) Michael (Jordan) and I have all continued to communicate daily and our mindset is really simplistic in that we want to improve this basketball team. Does a trade like this prohibit us from making future trades? I would say that answer is no. We are not handcuffed in a way where we can’t make trades; it is just that we have to make trades that make sense for us physically and talent wise. We are all on the same page. The short answer is that we are going to continue to try to improve this basketball team.
(On how quickly the trade materialized)
We continually have conversations with teams all year. I think my communications with New Orleans took a turn over the weekend. We had talked a little bit and then over the weekend, the thing started to get to the point where both sides felt comfortable. Once Larry, Michael, and I felt comfortable at the start of yesterday, it moved pretty quickly. It obviously got a lot of legs to it, it was in the media last night, and here we are today. So, I would say it got serious over the weekend and then it moved quickly yesterday.
(On if the Bobcats tried to acquire Chandler at last year’s trade deadline)
No, we were not involved prior to our recent discussions involving Tyson.
(On Chandler’s health)
Right now, we are just doing our background. When we get Tyson into our market some time at the end of the week, we will have a chance to formulate some sort of plan going forward with his rehab and things of that nature to get him to where he is feeling comfortable back on the court. We’ll probably have all of that laid out by the first of next week. When our doctors, trainers, and physical therapy people take a look at him and put their hands on him, we’ll feel more comfortable.
(On if the trade is pending and if this trade jeopardizes any potential free agent signings)
Yes, the trade is pending physicals before it can be completed. Financially, this year and next year, we take on $1.1 million. There is a limit on the amount of money we are going to have under the luxury tax, which I have always maintained we won’t get near. It does limit us, but it doesn’t prohibit us in terms of what kind of free agent we are trying to sign.
(On the trade)
We gave up a really good player and a great guy. Emeka (Okafor) did a heck of a job for us. From a basketball standpoint, now we have Tyson (Chandler) who can play more than one position and as you know, we have a lot of centers. Tyson is young, long, athletic, and pretty skilled, so he fits in pretty nicely with what we are trying to do. In terms of his injury, you have to talk to Rod (Higgins) about that, but I don’t think we’d make a deal unless we felt he was healthy. I spoke to him earlier today, and I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but he seemed excited about coming and felt pretty good physically. Again, we are giving up a terrific player who has been great for our franchise, but we are getting a young kid who is long, athletic, can play multiple positions, and fills a need that we really obviously have.
(On this season’s starting lineup)
I think Tyson (Chandler), Nazr (Mohammad), and DeSagana (Diop) are going to try to start for us. Boris Diaw played 4 and Gerald Wallace played 3 and they both did a great job. In all honesty, Boris can play more than one position and I think Tyson can as well, so it just gives us more depth. I think (Rod Higgins, Managing Member of Basketball Operations Michael Jordan), and I all felt that we have to get guys that can play multiple positions, especially when you are trying to build a team. Tyson is athletic enough, quick enough, and handles the ball well enough to play out on the perimeter and defend out there. As I look at it, we’ve given up our starting center and we’re hoping that we’ve acquired a starting center.
(On if him mentioning that Okafor needed to work harder had anything to do with the trade)
No. I think what I always said to Emeka was that I wanted him to have a passion and work on his game. I think he made unbelievable progress in that regard. When we had an exit meeting this past season, he told me that he was going to work on his game. It had nothing to do with it. I think the most important thing was that we have a hole at the backup 4 and we thought Tyson could be a backup for Boris. We have depth at center, and we thought Tyson could play center as well, and that was really important. It was a basketball decision; it had nothing to do with Emeka. Emeka did everything I asked. He was a great teammate and a great kid. We all felt that Tyson’s quickness, his ability to handle the ball, and his length were very important and were the overriding factors in trying to make this trade.
(On how Chandler and Okafor differ)
I think Tyson has great length and great quickness. Emeka is more of a prototype center. I think Tyson can get up the floor and press a little bit more - which is something I believe we would like to do - and he can guard on the perimeter. If you look at this league, so many of the teams run pick-and-roll after pick-and-roll, and your center and power forward have to be guys that can handle that. In some ways, Tyson can’t do some of the things that Emeka does, such as being physically strong down low. But, there are some things Tyson can do, like get out on the pick-and-roll a little bit better and be a little bit more mobile out on the perimeter. Those might be a plus, but we are going to find all of that out. The biggest thing about building a team and not necessarily having the depth of more established teams is that you have to find guys that can play more than one position, and that is what we are trying to do. When you look at our team, Boris (Diaw) can do that, Gerald Wallace can do that, and now Tyson can do that. The more guys you get that can be in that kind of situation, the more flexibility you have. When you look around this league, a lot of teams go small, so your center sometimes is guarding a perimeter player. I think mobility and quickness out on the perimeter is really a key to the way we think we need to play.
(On how Chandler fits in with the Bobcats)
Anybody playing with (New Orleans guard) Chris Paul is going to benefit, but Raymond (Felton), D.J. (Augustin), Gerald (Wallace), Boris (Diaw), and Raja (Bell) all can pass the basketball. I think Tyson fits in really well. We want a center that is going to be out on the break, can rebound the ball and bring it up a couple of dribbles to start the break, and be able to get out on the perimeter and handle it a little bit. There are so many plays now that are initiated with some kind of dribble-hand-off, and I think Tyson has those skills. There may not be anybody on the level of Chris Paul, but I think Raymond and D.J. want to pass the ball and they’ve gotten better and better at it. I’m hopeful that they’ll all mesh when the time comes.
(On how other teams around the league have improved this summer)
We are trying to get better and we want to acquire talent. We felt we had a really good draft with Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown. We think we got two young kids that are going to be quality players. I’m aware that our whole league has gotten better. Teams that have finished behind us like Washington and Toronto, to name a few, have improved, and the teams that have finished ahead of us have gotten a whole lot better. You have to keep up, and that is our goal. We are hopeful that Tyson will be a piece that makes us better. Rod (Higgins) and Michael (Jordan) have mentioned to me numerous times this summer that our goal is to try to acquire talent and continue to get better. I think it’s obvious that when teams around you are improving, you can’t afford to stand pat.
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